Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, 

“To us, the reality of Tasawwuf is knowledge accompanied by practice. 

The acceptable practices are those that are from the teachings of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), and are within the ability (ikhtiyaar) of the aspirant.

Apart from this, everything else is supplemantary.

If  they are granted and the Shaikh validates them, then they are an additional bounty worthy of gratitude.

If they are not granted, or are granted and then taken away, then to try to regain them and to worry after them, or to feel restless due to their loss, all of these are inappropriate in the Tareeq and are extremely harmful for one’s self (baatin). This is regardless of what the nature of these extra bounties might have been.”

Basair e Hakim al-Umma ra, page 56